Review: Dollhouse 110 Haunted
Review of: Dollhouse 110 Haunted
Overall Rating: 9
When Adelle’s wealthy friend is murdered, Adelle imprints Echo with the woman’s memories.. Watch the episode streaming online above.
Dollhouse Haunted is another one of those episodes that really features Joss Whedon's brilliance. He boldly deviates from the typical Dollhouse episode format in this episode. This one is a mystery episode but more like playing the game Clue where we have a murder victim Margaret but we need to find out who did it and with what weapon. The list of suspects: her son Nicholas, daughter Jocelyn, brother William, or her husband Jack. As interesting as that storyline was though I wished that Joss would have made that the secondary storyline and spent more time on Topher's annual anterior insular cortex diagnostic.
The annual anterior insular cortex diagnostic is a test (indulgence) that Topher does annually. It requires a doll that Topher does an imprint to so that he can spend the day with a friend. This part was disappointing, not because they did it but because it was like sitting just out of earshot of a very important conversation where we could only hear bits and pieces of the conversation. Enough that we knew we wanted to hear the whole thing but not enough to know what was going on only to speculate. Who was imprinted into Sierra? Was it another Topher, a created ideal friend or was it a lost loved one from Topher's past? Is it actually for Topher's Birthday or is it for some other annual celebration? For season two I want Joss to do an Anterior Insular Cortex Diagnostic Day episode with Topher as the main storyline and have something else as the sub storyline.
Haunted touches on the subject matter of life after death. They put a client’s mind into an actives body where they have all of the memories and personality quirks but they only remember up to the last session so in the case of this episode she does not remember the last 3 weeks of her life. My question for you is do you think this is a temporary process? Boyd also asks the question: Where does it End? That is to say with this application of the technology how far is an organization willing to go with it?
For what reason do you think Dewitt is very set on separating Echo and Ballard?
If you could play with the sleepies, what would you have them do? For instance: would you have them battle gladiator style or act our skits, film it and see who gets the most hits on youtube. I would have them reinact favorite scenes like the hockey scene in Strange Brew or the boarding battle in the beginning of Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope and sweed them like in Be Kind Rewind.
For more detailed conversation check out “Playing In The Dollhouse” a Dollhouse podcast here. Where we discuss and geek out on everything Dollhouse including episode reviews, news, and fun fan bits.
Likes
Get to see more Adelle away from the Dollhouse
I love the fight choreography. It was sloppy taking into account that neither fighters had any kind of training or a background in fighting.
This episode was kind of like a game of Clue.
Paul Ballard and Millie are so cute together it’s torture to watch them.
Eliza Dushku can ride English saddle!!!
I love it when Boyd goes Hmm he does it often when thinking, it makes me think of Rorschach from the Watchmen.
The questions raised on incest: What did you think about Nicholas kissing Julia?
Annual anterior insular cortex diagnostic
Bring up question about life after death
The list of classic Sci-Fi mistakes: human alien cross breeding without scientific intervention, flame-y explosions and sound in a vacuum.
The list of good storytelling: light speed travel, space storms, and sexy sexy alien.
New games from Topher: Flying chess it is a real game, chess drinking game every time you loose a piece you take a drink.
Dislikes / Concerns
The rider-less horse was beautiful imagery but not accurate because a horse who loved it’s rider would stay with them.
Wanted more Topher: This episdoe should have been Topher centric story with Margaret's storyline as a subplot.
We don’t get an answer on who was in Sierra’s body
Favorite Quotes
“Lets Play with the sleepies”
(gasping)
“God I’m so Emo”
“Illusions aren’t worthless”
“loneliness leads to nothing good. only detachment. and sometimes the people who most need to reach out are the people least capable of it.”
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Get your copy of Dollhouse: Season One on DVD here
Next Week: Briar Rose
Ballard's investigation leads him to the agoraphobic designer of the Dollhouse (guest star Alan Tudyk); Echo helps a young girl deal with her traumatic past; Adelle goes to the Attic in search of answers; and Alpha reveals himself to set his end game in motion.
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